SDSU MEN HOLD OFF HUSKIES IN DUAL ACTION

Friday, January 16

St. Cloud, Minn.

4 p.m.

South Dakota State University

153

145

St. Cloud State

Zavier Kranz swims in a freestyle event during intrasquad competition

Photo by: SDSU Athletics

1/16/2026 8:02:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Zavier Kranz and Cody Vertin each won two individual events to lead the South Dakota State men's swimming and diving team to a 153-145 dual victory over St. Cloud State Friday afternoon at the Halenbeck Hall Aquatic Center.

In their first action of the new calendar year, the Jackrabbits improved to 3-1 in duals this season.

A sophomore from Watertown, Kranz posted both of his victories in freestyle events, clocking a top time of 1 minute, 43.83 seconds in the 200-yard race before winning the 100 in 46.06 seconds. He also anchored the Jackrabbits' runner-up 400 medley and 400 freestyle relays.

Vertin, meanwhile, notched both of his wins in the second half of the meet. The junior from Brookings claimed the 200 breaststroke in 2:03.73, then led a Jackrabbit sweep of the top four spots in the 200 individual medley with a winning time of 1:54.58.

SDSU held a 133-129 advantage heading into the 200 IM, which was the final individual event of the meet. Freshmen Conner Trinidad (1:57.23) and Evan Schott (1:57.41) came in second and third, respectively, for SDSU in the 200 IM, with Kolden Kringen taking fourth in 1:57.84.

The Jackrabbits received another victory in the breaststroke events from defending Summit League champion Nik Keuser in the 100-yard race. Keuser touched the wall first in 58.08 seconds, followed by David Bosch in third place (:58.27) and Vertin in fourth (:58.59).

Keuser also was runner-up in the 200 breaststroke (2:08.87), with Kringen adding another fourth-place finish (2:14.54).

SDSU also fared well in the distance freestyle events as Jack Ellison won the 500 (4:47.05) and freshman Luke Watkins swam to victory in the 1,000-yard race (9:51.08), placing ahead of Ellison (9:56.32) by just over five seconds.

In addition, Braxton McGrath notched runner-up finishes in both the 100 (:50.77) and 200 butterfly (1:54.97), finishing behind St. Cloud State's Lance Godard in both races. Godard also swam on two winning relays for the Huskies.

Also for St. Cloud State, James Nord swept the diving events with winning scores of 302.70 on the 1-meter board and 289.15 in the 3-meter competition.

UP NEXT
SDSU continues road action Saturday with a tri-dual against Minnesota and St. Thomas. Competition begins at 11 a.m. at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, with the Jackrabbits' women's squad also in action.

-GoJacks.com-